Passport ID Cards

Passport ID Cards

We live in a digital age now, yet for many countries carrying some kind of identity card has been compulsory for some time. The UK government has delayed implementing a system in the UK, although it is likely to happen at some time.

Obvious Benefits

Passports now contain a chip, and the average person carries loyalty cards in their wallet, so we are already storing lots and lots of information about ourselves securely. The potential benefits are huge. A loyalty card can bring you offers on the groceries you buy every week, but an ID card could save your life, literally or figuratively, depending on the information stored, such as blood group or known allergies

Concerns about security can be allayed because all data will be protected by biometric data such as your finger print or facial recognition. So rather than being a security risk, they could reduce incidents of identity theft.

Does Everyone Need One?

Some argue that a Passport ID card is devalued if they are not made compulsory for everyone to carry, though they are likely to be phased in over a period of time in the UK. It would be costly to introduce them for everyone at once, so it is likely to start as a voluntary scheme.

Some EU countries such as Germany and Holland dictate that all adults carry an ID card, so having our own system could facilitate travel within the EU. Keen travellers might find they want to opt in.

With all the changes around state benefits, an ID card could help reduce fraud by allowing people to prove their entitlements or their immigration status.